Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Scanning the internet of late, looking at all the bicycle related stream of consciousness out there, one might come to the conclusion that the Mayans were correct- The "World As We Know It According To Cycling" is coming to a swift and confusing end.

Take for instance all we once assumed correct concerning mountain biking. You may as well throw it all out the window. Three valid and obtainable wheel sizes, a myriad of different bottom brackets, head sets, and fat bikes?

Wow! And that's just mountain bikes. Go over on the road side and you find a similar treat for those in favor of anarchy. What with electric gizmos measuring power, moving your derailleurs, and navigating your route for you. Then you have the most iconic road cyclist of the last 20 years falling like Satan thrown down from heaven. And if you thought that was bad, it gets even worse! I mean.......hydraulicdisc brakes on road bikes?

Perhaps "climate change" really means that Hell is freezing over.

With all of the changes going on, you might think that cycling is either going off a cliff, or that these are the most exciting days we've had for a while. Depends on how you like your "change"- Medium rare or hot and spicy.

....but all that matters is the joy of riding.

You can drive yerself nuts digging into all of the details, trying to figure out the competing standards, what components are best, and whether he did or didn't do that. You can argue for changes or against them passionately, and that's all well and fine. At the end of the day though, none of that stuff really matters much.

Nope. All of that wouldn't amount to a hill of beans if it weren't for you and your love of pushing a set of pedals around, with the wind in your face and a goal to reach. It all pales when you top out on the steep hill, launch over that log, or rail that corner. It just doesn't matter when you look over at your riding partner and know without saying a word that this is the coolest, most satisfying moment on two wheels you've ever had.

When you boil it all down to the things that really matter, stuff like bottom brackets, race entry fees, and doping mean diddly squat. For me, it just it's all about the joy of riding my bicycle.

And that's what I am going to be thankful for when it comes to thinking about cycling tomorrow.

Amen Brother... MW & I got in 101.35 miles on Sunday and added a couple hours of dark time fatbiking last night, so we are preaching the same verse. It certainly doesn't matter how pretty your bikes are, or how light they are, or how many techno goo gaws they have, if they never get ridden.

Like you, I like riding bikes fast, preferably on dirt, with the wind on my face and the sun shining. That's what it's all about...

it grosses me out how some people always have to have the latest and greatest technology, for seemingly no reason other than it is new. just get out there and ride on a bike that works and you love, screw that other stuff.